Eyeglasses.



N. M. BAKER.

EYEGLASSES.

' APPLIOATION FILED JULY 21, 1910.

Patented June 16, 1914.

' INVENTOR NELSON M. B/IhER WITNESSES.

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

NELSON M. BAKER, OF SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN OPTICAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

EYEGLASSES.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NELSON M. BAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Southbridge, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Eyeglasses, of which the following 1s a specification.

My invention relates to certaln unprovements in eyeglasses, and more particularly to that form of eyeglass in which there are employed spring actuated nose clamps or guards pivoted adjacent the opposite ends of the bridge; and the objects of my 11nprovements are, first, to provide an actuating spring that can be taken off and replaced without removing the plvot post of the guard levers; second, to provide means for screening the actuating spring from view when the eyeglasses are in place on the nose, and third, to avoid the use of an ungainly spring extension on the pivot post, and fourth, to obtain a thinner pivot hearing and a neater general appearance of the mounting. I attain these objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 represents a front elevatlon of an eyeglass embodying my invention. F g. 2 represents a bottom view of Fig. 1 1nverted. Fig. 3 represents a front elevation with a portion of the actuating lever re moved, showing the connection of the actuating spring. Fig. t represents an enlarged detail view of the actuating lever showing the actuating spring and connection to the bridge; inverted. Fig. 5 represents an end view, bridge cut and looking toward the lens; inverted.

Similar figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings: A pair of lenses 1 are connected by means of the usual clips 2 and bridge 3.

As the structure about to be described is in duplicate, a single unit will be specified for convenience of description.

The nose clamp 4 is attached to an actuating lever 5 one end 6 of which is fashioned into a handle or finger piece for operating the lever. The lever is pivoted adjacent the bridge end 7 which is widened out to form a bearing surface, and is held in place by a pivot post 8. The lever is actuated by a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 21, 1910.

Patented J une 16, 1914;.

Serial No. 573,039.

spiral tension spring 9 one end of which is connected to the lens clip 2 by a lug 10 or other means, while the other end of the spring 11 is secured to the handle or finger piece of the levers. A spiral spring is shown as a preferred structure but other forms of springs can be used. The spring 9 is located in front of the vertical plane of the lens and lies between the lens clip and the handle or finger piece of the lever. The le ver handle in front of and adjacent to the pivot is bent over into the form of a cup or barrel 12 adapted to receive and partially cover the spring. Slots 13 (see Fig. 4:) or other means are provided in the cupped portion of the finger piece to retain and hold the end of the spring in place. To provide a steady bearing to prevent unequal wear and movement, a portion of the cupped portion of the finger piece is preferably extended into a lip or flange 14: which bears on the bearing seat of the bridge and is held in place by the pivot post 8 although the lever could be pivoted by means of a single flange alone if so desired.

The parts are assembled as follows: The lenses are attached to the clips 2 and bridge 3 in the usual manner. The lever is next placed on the bridge with the openings in its bearing flanges in alinement with the axis of the bearing in the bridge and the pivot post inserted and secured in place, allowing the lever an easy bearing action on the pivot post. The spring is then placed between the lens and the finger piece end of the lever, one end being made fast to the lug 10 and the other slipped into the recess 13 in the cupped portion of the finger piece.

To place the eyeglasses on the nose, the

finger piece ends 6 of the levers are drawn toward each other, expanding the spring 9, thereby spreading out the guards or nose clamps 4 to their full width. The eyeglass is then inserted in place on the nose and the finger pieces 6 released, whereupon the ac tuating spring 9 will contract or shorten and draw the finger pieces 6 toward the lenses, and force the clamps 4 into supportin engagement with the flesh at the side 0 the nose.

To remove the eyeglasses the operation is the reverse of that described for placing them in place. The finger pieces are drawn toward each other, expanding the spring 9,

the clamps a released, and the eyeglasses pulled away from the face and out of engagement with the nose.

It will be seen that by the use of my invention, a broken or weakened spring can be quickly and cheaply replaced without injury to the mounting or the removal of the pivot post. It will also be noted by locating the spring between the lenses and the finger pieces, and by forming the finger piece into a barrel over the spring, that the spring is practically invisible from the front when the eyeglasses are in place on the nose and a neat and finished appearance is presented. The usual unsightly appearance of the high extending pivot post and visible spring is removed and a thin, durable and neat appearing mounting is obtained.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In eyeglasses, the combination with a lens, of means for holding the lens, a nose clamp lever pivoted to the holding means and having an integral handle portion and resilient means disposed on the outer face of the lens holding means and behind and overlapped by the handle portion of the lever for shifting the lever into operative position.

2. In eyeglasses, the combination of a lens, means for holding the lens, a nose clamp lever pivoted on the lens holding means, a spring between and connecting the forwardly extending arm of the nose clamp lever and the lens holding means, and an open tube or barrel on the nose clamp lever in front of and adjacent to the pivot post adapted to receive and partially cover the spring.

3. In eyeglasses, the combination of a lens, means for holding the lens, a nose clamp lever pivoted on the lens holding means and provided with a tube or barrel portion in front of and adjacent to the pivot posts, a spring between the forwardly extending arm of the nose clamp lever and the lens, one end of the spring being secured to the lens holding means and the other end adapted to fit in and engage the barrel portion of the nose clamp lever.

4. The combination with a lens, of a holder therefor, a nose clamp lever pivoted to the holder and having a handle portion, and a coil spring disposed on the outer face of the holder and having one end secured to the holder and the other to the lever, the position of the spring being such that it is normally protected and concealed by the handle portion of the lever.

The combination with a lens, of a holder therefor, a nose clamp lever pivoted to the holder and having a handle portion, and a coil spring disposed on the outer face of the holder and having one end secured to the holder and the other to the lever, the lever having an enlarged curled portion for partially inclosing the spring.

6. A nose clamp lever having a pivot opening formed therein and having the handle portion thereof curled adjacent the pivot opening to provide a chamber, having its axis substantially parallel to the plane of movement of the lever, said chamber being adapted to receive an actuating spring for the lever.

7. A nose clamp lever having its handle portion curled and a transversely disposed actuating spring concealed by the handle and fitting into the sleeve formed by the curling of the lever.

8. The combination with a support, of a nose clamp lever having a curled spring receiving portion terminating in parallel arms, and a pivot passing through said arms and engaging the support to secure the lever in position thereon.

9. A nose clamp lever having a curled portion with its axis pa allel to the plane of movement of the lever, and a spring fitting within the said curled portion and having one end secured to the lever and the other end projecting beyond the curled portion for engagement with a support to actuate the lever.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NELSON M. BAKER.

\Vitnesses F. G. BLANCHARD, H. H. STYLL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

